Screaming Nightmares

Writers: Miriah
Date Posted: 23rd September 2019

Characters: Humari
Description: Humari wakes from a nightmare.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 12, day 15 of Turn 9
Notes: Mentioned: Taril, Yriadha

Humari

Humari jerked upwards with a gasp, sweat slicking her body even as it
trembled. The dreams had come nearly every night, but at least she no
longer reached for Taril beside her. She'd done so the first sevenday
and each time she had burst into tears. Screaming during her
nightmares had ceased as well. For two sevendays, her nightmares had
been met with people rushing to her rooms, Taril's mother attending
her until she had calmed. She no longer screamed out her fear, and it
was slowly easing, but only gradually. She felt worse for Tumaril,
who didn't understand why his mother woke him nightly. Her fear fed
his own until she was finally forced to place him in a nursery so he
could sleep at night.

During the day, it was easier. Taril's mother was kind to her,
allowing her space and distance without questions. Humari didn't know
if Taril had explained things to her, but she didn't doubt that he
had. He had written to her each sevenday, but she'd left the letters
unopened, laying on the small table in the room she'd been given. She
left the gifts he sent unopened. She didn't return them but couldn't
bear to look at them. Not yet. She was still too hurt, the feeling of
betrayal too fresh, even after a month away from him. But she missed
him, his weight beside her. But the lies to her, how could she forget
that? How could she ever forgive the fact that his actions had brought
someone who tried to kill her? The memories plagued her every day.

Humari slipped her legs over the side of the bed, reaching for the
cloth by the basin of cool water. Wiping her face and neck, the cool
water felt blissful to heated skin. She felt her collar bones with a
grimace. She hadn't had much of an appetite either, forcing herself to
eat at least a few bites of every meal, if only to encourage Tumaril
to eat as well. It hurt her when he asked where his Papa was, why he
wasn't with her and when they would come home. She didn't know what to
tell him.

She wanted to go home. She wanted to sleep in her own bed and in her
own home. She felt horribly homesick. She even missed her own mother,
who she'd barely spoken to since the accident. She'd been told of the
wedding, the shipwreck, and was glad her mother was safe, but it was
beyond her to really think much about it.

Today, she decided, she would take Tumaril fishing. One of Taril's
brothers had given the young boy a fishing pole and he'd taken to
hauling it about with him where ever he went. It was cute and it
brought a smile to her face when she saw it. She knew how to fish but
hadn't done so since childhood. Now was a perfect time to teach her
son. She should get out of the hold proper anyway. When she looked in
the mirror, she appeared ghastly white and the shadows under her eyes
made her look ill.

She sponged her arms of the sweat, then sighed softly, looking out of
the window. Dawn was creeping up over the horizon, the first pale
light beginning to shine over the water. It was beautiful. She rose to
stand at the window, intent on watching the sun rise.

Last updated on the October 26th 2019

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Screaming Nightmares